Searching the scraps: One more "just in case" minor league deal for depth?

[JohnBriggs12]

We're getting to the time where the scraps of the FA market start inking minor league deals. Often they are the type Kameron Loe did last year where the player is eligible to become a FA if not called up by a certain date. It would seem to me that the Brewers might have room and the need to pick up one more starting pitcher on a deal such as this to protect themselves in case of an early season injury to a starter.

Of course none of the names out there is going to blow anyone away: Freddy Garcia (probably the best of the lot), John Maine (though he's been linked to Phils on a minor league deal), Todd Wellemeyer, Nate Robertson and a few others. The reliever market too has some decent names on it but it may take a couple more weeks to know who's going to have to settle for a minor league deal. Then there are hitters like Ryan Church, Greg Dobbs, Mark Kotsay, Gabe Gross, Felipe Lopez and a few that could be of interest.

[Mr Southpaw]

Position Players

 

1.Willie Harris He can play just about anywhere and has a little pop.

2. Scottie Po He can hit off the bench and he can run.

3.Felipe Lopez Again, he can hit off the bench and can run a little.

 

Starting Pitchers

 

1. Ben Sheets He is on the scrap heap!

 

Bullpen

 

1 .Brian Fuentes Not on the scrap heap ,but just think.

[Invader3K]

Podsednik seems like he would be a decent fit, but I think he'll be looking for guaranteed playing time. He had a pretty good season last year. Harris I don't know much about...Lopez I can't see as a fit for the Brewers' needs.

 

Sheets' career is probably done. Fuentes will probably be too expensive. Interesting to think about, though.

[And That]

Willie Harris was signed by the Mets yesterday. I agree that he would have been a good idea.

[paul253]

I'd love to somehow get a reliever we can sign to a one year deal that ends up with him being a Type A free agent. And I actually wouldn't mind Podsednik on a one year deal either. Maybe he and Gomez can platoon.

[trwi7]

I don't want any of those starting pitchers. If we need another pitcher, I'd take Rogers or Rivas.

 

Podsednik can't play CF, not that he would need to. He'd be a better 5th OF than Boggs.

[dadofandrew]

One more SP will likely be signed with an opt-out...Rogers and Rivas are probably #6/7, but most teams use 9-10 SP's, so another at Nashville would be preferred. John Maine seems like a possibility, as they've been linked before.

[MNBrew]

I don't want any of those starting pitchers. If we need another pitcher, I'd take Rogers or Rivas.

 

Podsednik can't play CF, not that he would need to. He'd be a better 5th OF than Boggs.

Pods would also be a better 4th OF than Dickerson and a better 3rd OF than Gomez.

[endaround]

Podsednik as a full time player had 0.4 WAR

 

Gomez as a part time player had 1.1

 

Podsednik is a terrible defensive player at this point.

[jerichoholicninja]

Can we add Jeremy Bonderman to that list?

 

Last year was his first year back from injury and he put up a 1.44 WHIP (career is 1.40), struck out 5.9/9 (career 7.1) in 171 IP. BB/9, H/9, HR/9, all pretty much the same as his career numbers. From what I've read the Yankees are the only team to have really shown any interest. I think we all feel comfortable with the Narv dog but if Bonderman will come cheap why not?

[Bnowell4evr]

He won't be a minor league deal but how about Jon Rauch?

[JohnBriggs12]

He won't be a minor league deal but how about Jon Rauch?

He just signed with Blue Jays for $3.5 million.

 

Some of the relievers still out there aren't really scrap. It's going to take a couple weeks until we know who in that list qualifies. I'm intrigued with a guy like Chris Ray myself, though I think he'll get a major league deal too.

[NievesNoNO]

Micah Owings. I'd give him the 25th spot on the roster and put him the "Brooks Kieschnick" role. He might actually be a better hitter than pitcher. I still think he's got some potential.

[jerichoholicninja]

Micah Owings. I'd give him the 25th spot on the roster and put him the "Brooks Kieschnick" role. He might actually be a better hitter than pitcher. I still think he's got some potential.

I think I've brought this up in the past too. Owings career OPS is .861. Prince's is .919.

[dadofandrew]

Owings as the final bullpen guy would be a fine move.

[And That]

I wouldn't hand Owings a bullpen spot. He'd have to earn it. His FB has gotten progressively worse since he debuted in 2007, and his offspeed stuff has never been great (or maybe even good). Plus, he's a huge FB pitcher.

 

If he was decent with the ball and the bat, you'd have to think about it. I'd like to see him in AAA first, though.

[thumperden]

Do you think he'd sign a minor league deal though with perhaps a call-up/release clause? I really don't know what kind of interest there would be in him on the major league level anymore.

I'd like to see him have a shot here.

[MNBrew]

Podsednik is a terrible defensive player at this point.

This may well be true, but if both Pods & Gomez have an '11 offensive year like their '10s, I believe Podsednik's much better offense will have a much more positive impact than Gomez's much better defense.

 

I also believe Podsednik's shoddy fielding is still somewhat relative, though I can't cite stats to back that up. He's an accomplished major league outfielder with good speed. His bad routes can be partially offset by the speed with which he'll still get to some of those balls. He'll never be confused with Mike Cameron, to be sure. But he's far from Izzy Alcantara-type bad, too.

 

Plus, if Podsednik's the 4th OF, more of his impact will be off the bench, where the amount of his negative defensive impact should be far less than his positive impact on offense.

 

(end of my pro-Scotty Po rant)....

 

- I believe any team's 4th OF has to be of the caliber to be an everyday starting OF since at some point he's going to be put in that role even if only short-term. We haven't seen that out of Dickerson yet (the potential's there, but his Milwaukee showing was rather weak for reasons already well-hashed by now), but we have seen that out of Podsednik.

 

- My thinking these days is that sorta-capable bats will be able to be acquired more easily than capable arms (considering options/experience not already on the AAA roster). So any further stockpiling of arms would still help, whether starters or relievers. I like Rivas & Rogers as potential rotation fill-ins. Parra can do it, too, though that's not worked out well the past 2 years. I'd still like to see a SP signed w/ some substantive major league experience -- someone like Capuano (an injury-recovery bargain) though of course Cappy himself is no longer an option.

 

- Is Bengie Molina still out there? I'd much rather see him mentor Lucroy and start 40-60 games rather than Nieves, Kottaras, or Rivera. Plus, he's got some history with Roenicke.

[dadofandrew]

I don't see anything Pods does better than Dickerson at this point, other than possible pics of his female companions.

[JohnBriggs12]

Owing fits the description of a guy for whom a minor league deal with an opt out makes sense. Not sure he'd be my first choice but he'd be okay.

 

For anyone that says they would rather have Rogers or Rivas take over in case of an early season need, bringing in a guy like an Owens certainly doesn't preclude that. It's just nice to have at least one guy with more extensive major league experience that could be an option especially as was the case with both Loe and Capuano last year that they were pitching well in AAA.

[Invader3K]

Armando Galarraga just got DFAed by the Tigers. Any chance the Brewers put in a claim for him?

[StearnsFTW]

I'd be shocked if Galarraga weren't traded. They just gave him a $2.3M contract. I'm guessing they wouldn't have done that if they didn't know there was a market for him. I can't believe they DFA'ed him. He's really not that bad.

 

Not good, but not terrible. He'll be in someone's rotation.

[dadofandrew]

Dustin Nippert is a former top prospect, and has a TEX background. He and Washburn are possible minor leaque signings with June 1st opt-out dates.

 

Plenty of position players who could fit in as well still out there as well. Felipe Lopez, Willy Aybar, Branyan, Belliard, Punto, Eckstein, Cantu, Andy LaRoche, and Inglett remain unsigned. Not much need in MIL, but no less than a half-dozen solid platoon/reserve OF's still unsigned, Gross, Nix, Church plus several others.

 

Chris Ray and Manny Corpas are guys that throw 90+ who fit Doug's criteria also. Beimel and Durbin would be nice additions, but would require earlier opt-outs.

[JohnBriggs12]

Kevin Millwood is also still out there. Despite his 4-16 record for the O's he was actually pretty good in August and September (3.66 ERA over his last 11 starts). He wouldn't be bad insurance either if you needed a guy.

[brewmann04]

Punto signed with the cards.